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Hours with minutes
When you need to tell an hour with minutes, simply mention the hour and then the minutes. But keep in mind that, if the minutes are less than 30, you simply add the conjunction “y” (and) followed by the minutes. Whereas, if the minutes are more than 30, you can say “menos” and the time remaining until the next hour.
Here are some examples:
- 08:15h: Las ocho y cuarto (Quarter past eight)
- 11:25h: Las once y veinticinco (Twenty-five minutes past eleven)
- 14:30h: Las dos y media (Half past two)
- 15:50h: Son las cuatro menos diez (Ten to four o'clock)
- 20:45h: Las nueve menos cuarto (Quarter to nine)
- 22:10h: Las diez y diez (Ten past ten)
Difference between digital and analog format
The digital format is the most used nowadays to see the time since everyone has a mobile phone or a watch with a screen. This time format in Spanish is read as it is written:
- 07:12h: Las siete y doce (Seven twelve o’clock)
- 12:47h: Las doce cuarenta y siete (Twelve fourty-seven)
- 13:30h: Las trece treinta or La una y media de la tarde (Thirteen thirty o'clock)
- 16:45h: Las dieciséis cuarenta y cinco (Sixteen forty-five o'clock)
On the other hand, the analog format is the traditional clock with hands, and, in this case, the time is told in the manner explained above. Examples:
- 04:30h: Las cuatro y media ()
- 06:15h: Las seis y cuarto (Quarter past six)
- 10:55h: Las once menos cinco ()
- 19:35h: Las ocho menos veinticinco ()
It should be noted that, in Spanish, the AM and PM format is not used as in English. So, to differentiate the hours in Spanish, we say “de la mañana”, “de la tarde” or “de la noche”. Also, for 12:00h, you can say “es mediodía” or “es medianoche”. Here are some examples:
- 09:00h: Son las nueve de la mañana (It is nine o'clock in the morning)
- 20:00h: Son las ocho de la tarde (It is eight o'clock in the evening)
- 12:00h: Son las doce del mediodía ()
- 00:00h: Son las doce de la noche ()
- 18:00h: Las seis de la tarde ()
- 05:00h: Las cinco de la mañana ()
- 14:00h: Las dos de la tarde (Two o'clock in the afternoon)